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Managed to grab hold of Jacky Cheung’s concert tickets in Hong Kong after 8 crazy hours of refreshing and waiting on the website. What?! This must be the most impromptu decision to travel for an overseas concert. I will always plan for my travel trips at least 3-6 months before.

However, this time it’s for the Heavenly King, we gladly enjoyed this once-in-a-lifetime experience! They were unforgettable and I’m glad we did this together.

We faced many hiccups on the way to the concert as our flight was delayed for 5 hours! This is a lesson learnt and we should NEVER book a same-day flight and concert. We almost couldn’t make it for the concert! That’s the worst feeling ever. Flight delayed, baggage delayed and we had an issue entering with our concert tickets too! Glad everything fell out nicely at the end and we were on time for the concert! 🙂

The concert was AMAZING. Wayne’s a huge fan of Jacky Cheung! He know 99% of his old and new songs, he could easily sing along during the whole concert. The live singing was as good as on digital, his voice was flawless. Whereas for me, I know those popular songs Wayne sings during our karaoke sessions together. The concert was just as fantastic to me!

Our well-deserved treat after a long terrible day of hiccups and concert without dinner. We had coconut steamboat from Top Grade Hot Pot (上品火鍋料理). It really nice and interesting, coconut soup is YUMS! ❤

Leaving the bustling and busy city of Hong Kong – we visited Lantau Island, one of the best place for nature lovers. The traveling time from Hong Kong city to Lantau island takes about 1.5 hours via ferry/ bus options. Tian Tan Buddha is magnificent and majestic, it’s simply amazing.

We also visited Tai O (大澳) a fishing town, partly located on the western side of Lantau Island. Tai O is a small fishing village and well-known for its fishing culture, dry seafood and snacks.

4 days in Hong Kong was way sufficient for us, we went around exploring local delights such as wanton mee, pineapple bun, egg tarts and dim sum. The highlight of this trip was Jacky Chueng’s concert, which is memories that’s engraved in our hearts always.

Taiwan always topped my favourite countries list. With it’s amazing street food and friendly locals, I looked forward to visiting Taiwan and this time round, my third. I have included Taichung into my itinerary, as my family and I have never been there before and we heard so much about Feng Jia Night Market – one of the biggest night markets in Taiwan. I can say the shopping in Taichung is so much better as compared to Taipei! Got most of my loots from Yi Zhong Street and Feng Jia Night Market.

Did I also share that I got my air tickets at a steal? REAL STEAL! SIN – TPE with luggage was $80 only! Why? – Cause I got an eDM from Jetstar on it’s Friday Frenzy Deal and there was no time for consideration whilst booking these tickets, it was at $0! Dates plugged in and paid immediately!

I will be sharing my itinerary on how I plan and where I go during this 7 days in Taichung and Taipei;

Singapore to Taichung, Day 1 –

We made our way to Taichung via the High-Speed Rail (HSR) which took about an hour and so. There were many other bus and train transfers however it was the fastest route southwards. We stayed at Plaza Hotel, it was highly recommended by a friend who was a frequent Taiwan traveler, it is centrally located and very convenient!

Miyaharu (Gong Yuan Yan Ke)Love the interior of Miyaharu, it’s very vintage-looking with many wooden structures. It is well-known for their pineapple tarts and other pastries in pretty boxes. We tried their ice-cream too, in my opinion I thought it was mediocre. Worth visiting for photo-taking and souvenir shopping.

Yi Zhong Street (Shopping Street)

It’s just like Orchard Road but in Taichung version! This street suits the young, funky crowd and they have many Korean-looking outfits in very good quality. Me like!

Feng Jia Night Market

I cannot stop raving about the street food in Feng Jia Night Market! They are so good, unique and fresh! Those prawns and squid are fantastic, I have never tasted anything like that in Singapore or Malaysia. We eventually found the highly-raved water pudding too! Noms. Felt that Feng Jia Night Market has the widest range of shopping varieties, from sneakers to clothing to accessories. I spend most of my money here though, heh!

Taichung Day 2 –

Rainbow Village

The story of Taichung’s Rainbow Village and its famous creator Mr. Huang Yong-Fu has become quite well known throughout the country and is a fitting example of how a battle resist having his home torn down. Vibrant and lovely place for photo-taking!

Cing Jing Farm (Green Green Grassland)

Cingjing Farm is best known for it’s green pasture and fresh air. I think anyone visiting Taichung should come here! The downpour cleared up as soon as we reached the peak, thankfully. It’s scenic wild greenery and cloud mountainous view was breath-taking.

The Old England

Puli Winery

We dropped by Puli Winery along the way, they are known for their Shao Xing wine. Personally, I thought we could skip this place of attraction as it’s really small and we can’t appreciate Chinese wine.

At last, dinner was authentic local mee sua with oysters. I really enjoy Taiwanese mee sua as compared to conventional local mee sua in soup. Their broth is thick and very flavourful. I’m totally blown away with this mee sua our driver drove us to, he said if it’s not good, we don’t have to pay for it! I guess, he’s right. Too good we wanted nothing but more. Off to Yizhong street for more night market shopping! 🙂

Taichung, Day 3 –

921 Earthquake Museum of Taiwan

921 Earthquake Museum of Taiwan is dedicated to the 7.3 earthquake that struck the center of Taiwan at 01:47:12.6 TST on Tuesday, 21 September 1999. They preserve some of the remaining from the earthquake to serve as reminders to the public for them to be prepared in the future if such event happens again. Visiting this museum arouse many insights for me, especially fortunate Singaporeans. How natural disasters can be so close to us and how blessed it is to live in a safe country.

Sun Moon Lake

Sun Moon Lake is the largest lake in Taiwan with it’s scenic clear sparkling blue water set against a picturesque mountain backdrop. I am mesmerized with it’s beauty, that’s no wonder its amongst one of Taiwan’s top tourist destinations. We went with the boat tour and I tasted one of the best tea braised egg (金门阿么茶叶蛋) – at Xuan Guang Si pier.

Sun Moon Lake Wen Wu Temple (文武廟)

Along the way, we stopped by a temple namely Wen Wu Temple – on the Northern bank of the lake. The exterior was magnificent and we were in awe despite the rainy evening.

Transport in Taichung:

We booked a vehicle for Day 2 and 3 transport and 张师傅 is really kind and friendly, he brought us to many additional places out of our itinerary and was very fast to react on our requests. He is highly recommended and you can reach him via Whatsapp or Line at (+886) 919-037251.

Taichung to Taipei, Day 4 –

Time for Taipei! ❤

We departed Taichung to Taipei via High-Speed Rail (HSR) and Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA) with a traveling time of approximately 1 hr 45 mins with all the waiting and transferring which is very much comparable to buses which takes about 2.5 hours with smooth traffic. One-way HSR from Taichung to Taipei costs SGD29, not that cheap thou. So I would advise anyone traveling to check on the traffic conditions before deciding which option to take.

Xi Men Ding Shopping

A definite must-go place in Taipei. The day and night crowd buzzing and the main point is our favourite must-eat Ah Zong Mian Xian (阿宗麵線)! We did most of our masks shopping in XMD as there were many big brands here! Shopping in Taipei is as cheap as compared to many years back, but relatively still affordable as compared to Singapore.

Shi Da Night MarketImage Credits: Google.com

Shida (師大) night market is named after the nearby university of the same name, the crowd is definitely geared to the younger adults. That also brings out the shopping bug in us as there were many trendy and inexpensive shopping choices. As it is relatively smaller than other night markets, there were lesser food choices around however we did tried the best Polo Bun ever! It’s so crunchy on the outside on a soft bun! (The one with the longest queue, should be easy to find!)

Taipei, Day 5 –

Jiu Fen

One of the attractions that I stay truly fond of is Jiu Fen. I enjoy strolling through alleys of shops with many eateries and they were all selling my favourite handmade taro balls dessert! Yums! Along the way, we tried out the famous shaved peanut ice-cream and rice cake too!

Golden Waterfall & YingYang Sea

As we are heading to our next destination, we dropped by Golden Waterfall and Ying Yang Sea – it was indeed a splendid sight for us! The origin of the name was attributed to the contrasting colours of blue and yellow of the sea.

Shi Fen

The most well-known place for sky lanterns in Taiwan is definitely, Shi Fen. Along this railway track, you can find many shops selling food, souvenirs and mainly lanterns. Soaking up the sky lantern atmosphere and joining the fun was so easy. Most shop owners even offer free photo-taking services too!

Shenkeng Old Street

Shenkeng Old Street is best known as Tofu street! It was my first time visiting and we could all smell stinky tofu from afar! I really thought this is a less touristy place and nice to explore! They have really special tofu food you can never find them elsewhere! I had the most delicious tofu mochi ever!! Too yummy we bought a few back home!

Wu Fen Pu Shopping Street

I was utterly disappointed with the shopping at WFP, unlike 4 years back. Things were cheap and there were many quality clothing! But why?! There were literally nothing to buy as the service and clothing quality was bad, really bad! All the prices were jacked up and shopping at night markets were so much a better experience and enjoyment!

Rou He Night Market

One of my favourite night market in Taipei! They have the yummiest and freshest barbecue seafood such as prawns, oysters and clams! Not forgetting grilled abalones, scallops, mushrooms and the most delicious long-queue pepper bun! Love the filling! Noms.

Taipei, Day 6 –

Addiction Aquatic Development 上引水產

Heard so much about this large Japanese-style supermarket with it’s fresh seafood and aquamarine products and many restaurants and kiosks! We just had to see what’s in deal for us! We waited for our turn at the Seafood bar and literally drooled over this huge plate of Uni that cost less than SGD50! There’s no seats at all for Seafood & Sushi bar and the crowd management could have been better I thought.

Best advice: Avoid public holidays and weekends!

Shi Lin Night MarketOne of the most renowned night market in Taipei, it’s indoor food area seems very much like Singapore’s food court. Shilin is the longest and largest standing night market! Oh and that’s the popular street food called the 棺材板 – Coffin Toast Bread!

Get ready to spent about 2-3 hours shopping and eating here!

Taipei to Singapore, Day 7 –

Exploring Taipei on foot was really easy with our pocket wifi router, we even had our morning run around town! But I must say the air in Taiwan isn’t as clean as compared to Singapore and it could be the amount of motorcycles on road or the petrol they used. Therefore we concluded Taiwanese always had masks on them! With lesser greens around, their air quality is really not too good. So, before heading out for a jog – think again okay!

Happen to chance upon Pablo Taiwan near Taipei Main Station and we packed 1 back! This cheese tart is so huge and 4 of us struggle to finish it off! It was soft and delectable but I prefer savory cheese dessert! Boo 😦

Traveling seems to be my best stress reliever and being happy is so easy. I truly enjoy traveling with my loved ones, it’s nothing but blissful. Traveling need not be expensive and the truth is – it can be really cheap if everything is well-planned and budgeted for!

*Top tips for budget traveling –

Sign up for airlines eDM (Electronic Direct Mailer) and grab the promotional deals soon as possible! Return from Taiwan at $80, trust me! Plus, don’t miss out without calling respective tourism bureau to check if there’s any travel freebies up for grab! For Taiwan, you can reach Taiwan Visitors Association via phone 6223 6546 or visit this blog for more information!*

Do as much research as possible! Know which route to take before heading out aimlessly. By having a plan, you will be able to tell which is the cheapest route to your destination!

Wifi router is so important for free and easy travelers! Always check for the best deal on renting or the cheapest SIM card that provides sufficient data roaming while traveling. Having a wifi router allows you to search and navigate like a local! Uber VS Exorbitant taxi fares! We saved quite a bit on this too! (Changi Recommends offer great discounts on certain travel location and we got UNLIMITED WIFI for $5 per day only!)

Gliding up the sky in the hot-air balloon is nothing but spectacular. A flying basket literally, with a huge fire torch above! It have shown me the best view of a sunrise and land full of floating-clouds. Yet another strike off my bucket list! 🙂

Have you wonder how it feels like to have a scenic screensaver-worthy-just-like-some-google-images right in front of you? Impressive. I was in awe when I saw the beautiful big balloons for the very first time in my life. Hot-air ballooning still felt so unbelievably true even till today.Breathtaking, you call that.

This was the view I captured before our balloon rose up from the ground. It was a beautiful day and the weather was perfect for ballooning. Even though, getting up at 3:00AM was the biggest struggle for us. But everything was worth it. No words can describe being 3500ft above ground, on a rattan basket and a fire torch above us. The sunrise view and land clouds were so beautiful.

My family and I were first-timers on hot-air ballooning. Therefore, we seek many opinions and did many research before deciding on Hot Air Gold Coast. We were given 2 standard choices of a half-an-hour ride OR an hour ballooning, and we went ahead with an hour balloon ride. It was a definite choice as it was timely-sufficient and we were able to take our photos and simply enjoying the scenic view leisurely.

There were about 24 of us in 1 hot air balloon and we were instructed to get in one by one – climbing in to the basket. Next, we were greeted by the most experienced with the record for most reliable balloon ride take-offs pilots on board and we were ready to set off ground!

I can say the experience high up there was really different from what we initially thought. We were absolutely wrong about bringing our jackets to the balloon, as there were already a huge fire “heater”above our heads. It was pretty warm when the fire was turned on to change the direction/movement upwards. We were also told that there were as much as 40 landing spots for the balloon to descend.

Did you know, Hot Air balloons stand taller than a ten storey building?

From top, we saw many greenery and dot-like animals. They look so tiny from afar!

What a relaxing ride! Breathing in the freshest air in an wide-open space of greens and amazing spectacle of other balloons in the morning sky. I can never have another morning like this!

Have I also commended on their customer service excellence? All the staff I liaised with in Hot Air Gold Coast were absolutely friendly and prompt in their response! Over on their website, there’s a chat tab which is really easy and convenient – I could chat with them anytime! Otherwise offline, an automated email will be send to your e-mail.

Thank you Hot Air Gold Coast for a spectacular and incredible experience I will never forget in my life. It was a perfect end to a perfect morning in the air! Before we ride off to O’Reilly Vineyard for our breakfast and champagne, we all got ourselves our very own commemorative flight certificate! Yay! ❤

Scenic Queensland, how much we adore you and enjoyed everything in placed for us. If you ever get a chance to ride on a hot air balloon, anywhere, just do it. It will be an unforgettable experience, you won’t regret.

Price ranges from AUD$280onwards inclusive of Oreillys Canungra Valley Vineyard Full Hot Breakfast and Champagne. Hop over to Hot Air Balloon Gold Coast Facebook page to find out more about them!

*Tick* on my bucket list! I have always wanted to try skydiving as I’m one who sought for fun and thrill. It isn’t just about being brave but to experience the adrenaline rush of leaping out of a plane is so exhilarating! I enjoyed it so much I would do it again anytime!

When my family decided on our trip to Australia, I was so determined to have it all planned out! I went to many social sites on skydiving and came across Gold Coast Skydive. Gold Coast seems like the perfect place for me as I enjoy being out in the sun, sand and sea and I thought why not do my skydiving and land on the beautiful soft sand along Kirra Beach? Moreover, there were many good reviews about Gold Coast Skydive and I was so decided.

The admin supports by Gold Coast Skydive was awesome! Like everyone else, I bombarded them with some of the most frequent questions one can ask and they were so professional and prompt in their response. I got their replies almost immediate or the day after as there were a 2 hours time difference from Queensland and Singapore.

Special thanks for my skydive tandem master, Steve – who is a very experienced skydiving master and he had done more than 20,000 jumps till date! Yes, he is 60 years old and I am so amazed how he could have so much energy in him. He was very encouraging throughout my skydiving experience from the time I stepped into the office, to getting ready and till the minute I leap off the plane 12,000 ft above ground.

I was constantly reassured by him on the safety measures. He was so attentive to my nervousness he tried to calm things down and reminded me that I was in good hands. Not just that, he commented that I was doing well and was a very brave girl to have come this far. I thought little things like that meant so much to me as it empowered me. I was somehow mentally prepared for my first leap.

On our way to the airport, I casually mentioned to Steve that W was doing this skydive with me – without hesitation, he initiated a picture for the both of us ♥I was the last to board the plane and so I will be the first to go. Sitting by the door-less plane (with safety belts of cause) the experience was nothing describable. The view was breathtaking and phenomenal! We were literally 12,000 ft above ground and above clouds. I was the first to take the lead when Steve patted me on my shoulder and gave me a signal to get ready for our jump. I was nervous yet excited to experience the 200km/h free-fall and to view Gold Coast from a different light. I was ready.

Yes, I did it! It was all worth it! The only regret that I had was it ended too quickly. I have never seen myself smiling so happily and simply being myself. The one who’s fearless and enjoys thrill at it’s best. For those who are hesitating, I can say everyone is afraid of heights initially but it takes courage and passion about enjoying the thrill. If you would ask me – I am definitely going to do it again! The experience was nothing but awesome and it will be fond memories I bring forward in my life. Once again, many thanks to the team in Gold Coast Skydive and the one standing next to me with all my crazy adventures. I’m so glad to have you by my side.

If you are heading to Gold Coast and planning to do a skydive, you’re in for a great deal! Gold Coast Skydive offer free pickups from hotels in Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach. They are really easy to liaise with, just drop them an email and book your slots. Be quick as they get quite a bit of bookings all around the world! Lastly, I would advise the early morning jump slots of 5.30am/6.30am/7.30am as the day breaks and the sunrise view is simply fantastic and breathtaking!

One of the best experience ever. Swimming with the fishes and staying underwater is so cool, literally! If you haven’t tried diving before, then you are missing out a whole lot of adventure and fun.

We had our first diving adventure with Sunny Cove and their instructors were very professional and most importantly, they focus on safety techniques and how to be confident in water. And, I thought these were the vital techniques for a beginner diver. We went to Tioman Island, Malaysia for our 2d1n diving experience!

We were on this swimming platform throughout our Day 1 dive. One by one, with an aid of a thick rope – we were being led down to the sea bed with a depth of less than 5m. Instructed to make our way underwater by deflating our BCD also known as Buoyancy Control Device and at the same time equalising slowly as to prevent the sudden increment of pressure in the ears and lungs. I guess this must be the most challenging part of our diving experience.

The fear of being underwater in the sea is so much different from our usual pool session. Plus, making our way down to the sea-bed for the first time and to perform safety skills such as removing our mask & re-wearing it, and to share air with a buddy.

After a few attempts of getting underwater, we kind of got used to it and find it extremely enjoyable and fun! Even though W nose bleed a little, as he had some trouble equalising. We were told by our instructor that it was a very common ‘injury’ for first-timers, just as long as we don’t bleed from our ears we are good. Haha!

Day 2 dives session were absolutely breath-taking. We were all able to better control our buoyancy, get under-water within a minute and simply, enjoy our dive. We saw many fishes like puffer-fish and trigger fish (ZOMG, first time for our Tioman instructor too!), turtles, black tip shark and many beautiful corals.

I am so glad to have them during my Open Water Diving experience. It was unforgettable with many fun moments in & out of the water.

I guess the love for diving is the surreal feeling you get to experience underwater, controlling your own breathing and movement around. Nothing but yourself. Nothing but peace. I can’t wait for us going on our next course! 2016, hopefully! 🙂

This is definitely one of the best travel experience with the ones I loved most. Having nothing with us, but so much love and laughter. Getting away from the hectic city buzz to somewhere quiet and peaceful. Enjoying the sea breeze and simply, doing nothing.

Every meal is so huge on the Kelong! We had our fair share of seafood in every single meal as being near to the sea, seafood were freshest and sweetest. We had 3 full meals, tea-break snacks and supper everyday! Oh yes, plus those durians we had everyday.

As Father’s Day falls on that weekend, I specially requested for a cake to be brought from Kawal town all the way to the Kelong for all daddies on board! It was such a heart-warming sight to see them all healthy and active at their age.My family and I enjoy outdoor activities very much therefore we love being at places near the sea, getting sun-soaked and exploring new things. We had so much fun catching small fishes and squids. I believe this runs in the family – we just love being carefree. All of us are closely knitted to one another and we simply enjoy doing things together. I hope that in future, my own family will embrace such closeness and love.

Growing up, I know my parents are growing older as well. The more I feel that time is precious with them. The only thing I wish for them now is to have good health, always.

Some of the bigger catch during the 3 days stay in the Kelong! Fishing was never my kind of activity but personally, I enjoy the surreal feeling of peace it brings to me. The waiting can be annoying for me at least, but it teaches me how patience and luck plays a part in everything that we do. No rush, no hurry – just practice, wait and you will get it. I see it all on W’s effort in fishing because he had the most practice and he was the one with the most catch. Proud of you! Can’t wait for the next getaway with them again, till then. Xx

Finally, got the time to pen down my reflection trip back to Ipoh and Cameron Highlands with the family! This trip was a long planned by W for my family and closest relatives to visit his hometown. He did many arrangements for transport and lodging, not forgetting the planning of the itinerary with his parents.

Therefore, those time together was really precious to me and W. Seeing them getting together, having fun, relaxing and enjoying every moment with the family was just worth every single bit of tedious planning back behind. It was my parents’ first trip to Ipoh and my 8th? I still enjoy going back every time, with the good food, companion and little things that brings you back from the city life to a slower pace town. One of my favourite place, still.

Every where was place-perfect for #ootd shots! Anyhow, you can see a wall back drop or a vintage looking street, just anywhere around the streets of Ipoh. Street painting along Ipoh Old Town, drawn by famous Lithuanian artist Ernest Zacharevic who also did old streets art along George Town, Penang too! Blending in the environment, these street painting depict scenes of local cultural day-to-day activities. Adding a touch of liveliness and warmth to the quiet alleys. I love these Kopi-O painting best!

When talking about Ipoh, we think about food, food and more food! One of the food haven in the world, yes, they have the best bean sprouts, steamed chicken, white coffee, smoothest flat rice noodles Hor Fun, Dim Sum, Assam Laksa and seafood. It is true that Malaysia have the best food in the world, fusion cuisine to Chinese style food never go wrong. We can never get to taste such traditional food in Singapore anymore, that explains why more people are driving/traveling up to places like Ipoh and Penang just for their food.

Here’s a website on the famous eateries in Ipoh. Not forgetting, home-cooked dishes! I love the Sour Chicken best and will be mastering this recipe soon! The home brew soup was simmered for 4 hours, which explains the thickness and rich colour with the sweetest taste. Cooking at home warms our heart even more, as cooking takes much effort and time. From the buying to the preparation to the cooking and lastly, to the washing. Therefore, be appreciative for the people who cook for you. It isn’t as easy as eating and only mothers goes through trouble like this, to bring out the best on the table.

Enjoying the pretty sunset from MH Hotel, Ipoh. The beauty of nature, simplest yet so fulfilling. Allowing me to do some reflections in life, on how sometimes we take things so seriously. Being on a trip, make me realized how fortunate I am to be here, living and enjoying time with my family. Appreciative and contented. I realized that nothing is more significant than our family presence and being together. Sometimes, we all chase after material things like a house, a car, a dream trip or even that branded bag. Neglecting the people around us, chasing after dreams that is selfishly yours.

But I thought living on for my loved ones is significantly more important than chasing that selfish dream. Providing them with what I have is the best thing I could ever do, right now. I don’t want to live my life with regrets not providing or spending enough time with them. Take effort, plan and travel with the family. That can only be the best thing on Earth.

The smiles on your faces, priceless.

More like a reflection post instead of my usual food introductory post. A time to rest and refresh the mind to focus on the right things. We may not be the richest, but contentment makes a wealthy man ♥

Planned for a short getaway with W for the longest time, and we both decided on the nearest town to explore; Malacca aka Melaka. We booked bus tickets from Starmart Express priced at $45 per pax (two-way). The bus was comfortable and spacious, making the 3 hours drive pleasant!

Day 1

This was the first time I traveled to Malacca and was so excited after seeing photos and reviews online about the delicious food around Malacca Town! One of which is definitely the chicken rice balls originated from Malacca, and that was our first stop once we reach Malacca Central.

We visited Kedai Kopi Chung Hwa which is known to be the best chicken rice ball stall in Malacca. The famous queue was a 35 minutes wait and finally both of us got ourselves a table! Excitedly, we ordered our usual portion. The chicken rice balls are served in a plate of 5, golf-ball sized. Chicken rice balls are steamed rice with chicken stock, cooked with extra water for more sticky texture for the rice balls shaping purposes. Not forgetting, the smooth and silky steamed kampong chicken served with thick ginger sauce. The combination of both sums up a perfecto meal! Combining it with their garlic chilli sauce, I guess I had the best chicken rice balls ever! Both W and I gorged out on 1 whole chicken! *Rub tummy*

Kedai Kopi Chung Wah
18, Jalan Hang Jebat,
75200 Melaka

Opening hours: 7.30am – 3.00pm

After our meal, we headed to Jonker Street for some street shopping and realized that there were many antiques shop and vintage street backgrounds for awesome OOTD shots! Not just that, but Jonker Street is full of cute character themed boutique shop, like Hello Kitty, Mr Potato and Mamee Monster! Too cute!

Cute little eggs popsicle ice! We came across I Sayang Bikes(单车生活馆) across Jonker Street and saw bicycle rental for just RM3/hour. Under such cooling nice weather, we thought it would be a great idea to explore town further with our bicycles instead of just walking around the same area. It was such a pleasant experience as it was my first time cycling in a foreign grounds, amusing. I like the idea of having control of where we are heading and being flexible in that sense. Cycling seems to be one of the best way to explore and travel.

After our little adventure tour we had, Jash came over to pick us up. Both Jash and Huizhen came up from Kuala Lumpur to meet us! Glad we made time and effort for this short getaway together, cause we miss each other too much! They bought us to Malacca’s most famous food; Satay Celup at Capitol Satay.

Satay Celup is very popular in Malacca and exclusively famous. We see lok lok everywhere in Malaysia, but it is just not the same. Both Jash and Huizhen go to Capitol Satay every time they visited Malacca. Renowned for its ridiculously long queues, we arrived at 4.45pm and waited near 2 hours for a table. The queue were the length of 7 shop houses!

Capitol Satay operates from 5pm and queues starts forming even before 4pm! WHAT?! This is the one and only Capitol Satay Celup in Malacca, they do not have any brother, sister or other branches. Satay celup is also known as steamboat satay, where sticks of raw or semi-cooked meat and vegetables are dipped into a boiling pot of satay gravy for several minutes. There is a very wide assortment available and each stick cost RM 1, randomly customers who ate more were given big prawns and scallops which cost RM 1 too! That’s the catch!

Being the lead of the day, Jash bought us to “Longkang Siham“ (Back Alley Si Ham) located near Madam King Shopping Complex. Packed with more than 40 years of history, I felt like I was in a reverse time-zone! There is no such back alley food stalls in Singapore or any part of Malaysia, except in Malacca. They sold boiled cockles also known as si ham, calms (la la), prawns, cuttlefish with kang kong and 4 Treasures which includes beancurd skin, fried dough, fish cakes and tofu. Super yummy!

Rise and shine! Headed to a coffee shop where W’s relative introduced us for breakfast. I love their toasts as they uses charcoal instead of a electric stove. We had steamed and toasted bread with coffees!

Tried their local laksa too! A lot like the ones in Singapore, curry mee + beehoon.

Jash drove us outskirt of Malacca Town to try this! He raved so much about it and wanted us to try the Coconut Shake! It was a 20 minutes drove from town. Just look at the amount of coconuts here! Woah! Must be really good business!

Yummy-licious Coconut Shake! I like! Refreshing and cooling for the warm day!

As we had the best chicken rice ball yesterday, we decided to head back again for more! I will miss this very much! Even W was full of praise with Chung Wah chicken rice balls! Yes, that is a crazy amount of 40 rice balls. Let’s dig in!

What’s a trip to Malacca without eating Chendol? We had the original chendol with Gula Melaka along Jonker Street. Chendol is typically made of coconut milk, green starched noodles with pandan flavoring, red beans, shaved ice and palm sugar.

ONE BITE DURIAN PUFFS! This was listed a must-try along Jonker Street and Jash suggested that we each try one, even though we are stuffed to the brim! Non-stop eating trip! But it was worth the calories! The durian puff burst inside your mouth and oozes! Slurps.Visited A Famosa, a Portuguese fortress located in Malacca after shopping at Pahlawan Shopping Mall. A Famosa is among the oldest surviving European architectural remains in South East Asia. The Porta de Santiago, a small gate house, is the only remaining part of the fortress still standing. Before heading to Malacca, I have heard all about their famous mille crepes cakes! When Windie learned that we were going to Malacca, she urged us to try theMille CrepesfromNadejeand also warned us that they usually sell out by evening. Nadeje is conveniently located at Mahkota Parade, which was nearJonker Street.

Mille crepes are not kueh lapis. The multi-layered cake is made of fresh homemade custard cream and is best eaten chilled. Four of us shared 2 slices of cake, as we were too stuffed from chicken rice, durian puffs and chendol. Burp.

Summing up the 2d1n short getaway with W, Jash and Huizhen. Taking a break from work and other stuffs, just have fun and eat non stop! Thankful for the trip and I will be back to Malacca for chicken rice balls and satay celup! Yummy!

I’m glad to be part of this fully sponsored trip by my company as a reward for staff performance and to enhance team bonding. Thankful for the chance and opportunity that was given. Definitely throughout this short retreat, all of us grew closer and I thought these experiences together were priceless.

Weekend first stop will be Chatuchak Market! The hot weather was drying us up, and all of us were soaked in sweat before the shopping starts. Nonetheless, we combed through Chatuchak Market and shopped for almost everything there.

Felicia and me, slurping up the freshest orange juice to quench our thirst!

First meal of the day; Beef Spicy Noodles Soup. The cost of about B40 (approximately $1.60). Yummy and rich soup base with free flow of raw bean-sprouts! Portion size was relatively small in Thailand, this is also the reason why locals here are especially slim.

Pork Knuckle was also the staple food for the Thais too. The girls love it! We had a short tea break in between our shopping and indulged in local delights! Thai food has always been my favourite! I love how rich, spicy & sour taste of Thai delights. Indulging on mango or vermicelli salads is mega love!

The best thing in Chatuchak Market is the… Coconut ice cream! It is a must-try if you ever visit BKK. After lunch, all of the girls were too filled to have this. But after trying on mine, all of them went to bought one each! The rich coconut taste, best for such burning weather, with a buffet array of toppings from sweet corn, chendol, atap seeds, jelly and red beans. Big love!

Shirley and me with our coconut ice-cream!

After a long day of shopping at Chatuchak Market, we all headed to Ramen King at A-square for dinner. Yummy sushi to fill the hungry tummies! I thought that their sashimi were better than the ones in Singapore, much fresher and sweeter!

Thank goodness for affordable and good massage along the streets of Thonglor, to save the aching tired feet! Our first day was definitely well spent.

Started the day at Pratunam area and we were all famished, awaiting to try SabX2 Wanton Mee! Heard so much about this famous noodles and can’t wait to sink my teeth in them. It comes with a small portion of springy yellow noodles, topped with greens and red roast pork and a couple of soup dumplings. The noodles were probably the best part of the dish – bouncy and chewy! Coupled with a plate of pig trotters again, and we girls finished a whopping 16 bowls of wanton noodles for 8!

Shopping and more shopping around Pratunam Market and Platinum Mall. Everything seems to be calling me out to bring them back to Singapore! Prices range as low from $2 for a top to $4 for a jump suit (depending on material and cutting).

Never miss a night in Bangkok without a massage, we headed to Yunomori Onsen & Spafor the fix. Yunomori Onsen & Spa is the first authentic Japanese Onsen in Bangkok, Thailand. With the blending of these multiple elements into this authentic Onsen experience, it serves as a path of retreat with various form of hydrotherapy: hot and cold baths, sauna, steams and showers. Joanne and me tried out their onsen, and felt like we were in Japan! Onsen is known to detoxify the body system and helps in blood circulation.

After our onsen and massage, we headed to Wine I Love You for our dinner. The foodwas fantastic and affordable. Definitely recommended and will be back for their food!

Sourcing for roadside fruits stall is a must everyday. I love their Thai mangoes especially. Common sight along streets fulled with doses of vitamins.

Weather is too hot 😦 was sweating so badly that sweat droplets are dripping literally. Heh. Detoxing under such weather.

Didn’t miss out on having my favourite Tom Yam during this trip!

The best thing about this trip will be the companion altogether. Being able to shop together and staying up late to chat about everything from boobs to babies! A great time to bond and understand one another more. Thankful :’)

Hello snow! Today will be an exciting start off as we depart to Mount Fuji! One of the favourite attractions in the world! And for me, a strike off that bucket list finally. Mount Fuji, also known as富士山 Fujisan is located on Honshu Island and is one of the highest mountains in Japan at 3,776.24m.

Still, because of the snow and wet floor, we conquered the 1st Station of Mount Fuji only. It would be dangerous and slippery to travel up to Mount Fuji during snowy weather, the best month to climb Mount Fuji will be July and August. During these two months the mountain is usually free of snow and the weather is relatively mild. Experiencing the snow and going up to Mount Fuji seems unbelievable still, till now.

The perfect cool weather allows Mount Fuji to stand out and was visible from every corner nearby, especially at Gotemba Premium Outlet Shopping. Gotemba Premium Outlet Shopping carries big labels and one of the flagship center, situated within view of World Cultural Heritage site, Mount Fuji. I bought Helio Pole green boots and GAP navy green jacket! They were in such a great deal and couldn’t resist buying them within minutes of trying. Heh! Indeed, a shopping haven.

Lunch time! We went to Oshino Hakkai also known as 忍野八海, a small village in the Fuji Five Lake region. They sell food like Mount Fuji tofu and crab roll, super interesting and yummy! We also had a simple udon set for lunch, slurping up a piping hot bowl of soup is one of the best thing ever in such a cold weather! Yummy tummies!

Followed on, we took a bus to Nagoya for BBQ dinner (didn’t have photos as we were too famished)! We visited Nagoya TV Tower and Oasis 21, it seems like Nagoya’s very own “Tokyo Tower”. That’s about for Day 3, a short yet fulfilling day! (Image credits: Google)

Morning Kyoto! We arrived in Kyoto town after a 2 hours bus journey and our 1st station of the day will be Kiyomizu Temple, also known as Kiyomizudera or 清水 (literally “Pure Water Temple”) is one of the most celebrated temples of Japan. Certain parts of the temple were under construction during our visit there, but not overwhelming impact. Later in the decade, the main hall will also undergo renovation which can be expected to have a bigger impact on a visit.

We also got some Japanese good luck charms, omamori also known as お守り. There are a wide variety of omamori for the young to the old. Blessings to be with people who carries them around. We also saw many Japanese girls dressed up in their kimonos and going to the temple. So cute! Thereafter, we went around shopping near the streets of Kiyomizu Temple and tried out their specialties Matcha cream puff! So good!

Lunch time! Traveling is all about eating and more eating! Today we are served with Tempura feast! Both rice and noodles were served, with a plate of ebi, chicken and fish tempura.

Proceeding to take on Japan JR Shinkansen Bullet Train to Osaka, traveling at themaximum speeds of 240–320 km/h. Both daddy and I was Vicks fanatic and was applying it while on the train ride! Hahaha! Mentholatum is best!

We reached our destination within 15 minutes! The weather in Osaka was fantastic! It was at about 16 degree Celsius, grab-a-jacket-and-go kind of weather! I like! 🙂 It was easier for us without the thick jackets and long john, wearing them for days sometimes feels like a chore! We alighted at our first station at Osaka Castle Park also know as 大阪城公園, it is a public urban park with many locals doing their usual workout routine. Love the weather and people around. Moreover, in Spring this will be one of the best place to view cherry blossom and plum blossom! Look at the bald trees here, within a month they will bloom into blossoms!

TAKOPACHI! Just queue and eat only! I really like their pull out store from the mini van. So cute! Japanese are always the best at innovation!Yay! It’s shopping time! We went to Shinsaibashi, the main shopping area of Osaka. Shinsaibashi is famous for its covered shopping street. We went insane with the amount of cosmetics, collagen powder, supplements and creams available in stores! Those Japanese girls are so well-groomed and health conscious. Crossing to Dotonbori, a popular tourist destination, it is famous for its giant crab and other restaurants. We combed Daiso, with so many “special” products” not available in Singapore retailing at $1.20 only! Buy buy buy!

それは食べる時間です! After the crazy shopping along the streets, we came by dinner with our long await Shabu-Shabu dinner and Kobe Beef.

What’s so special about Kobe Beef?

Kobebeef is considered by many to be the best form of beef available in the world, although it is prohibitively expensive and importation from Japan is virtually impossible. Therefore, you will never get to taste Kobe Beef in any part of the world expect in Japan! Gourmet chefs prize Kobebeef for its tenderness, flavor and amount of intramuscular fat, called marbling. Heavy marbling gives steak its satisfying mouth-feel.

I am absolutely in love! It was an expensive add-on for Kobe beef to be served on our dinner plates, but it was worth it. Each slice of this Kobe cost us $125, here’s 2 and that’s $250. The meat is so tender and it practically melt in your mouth. Awww…Delicious! Grilling it brings the best out of Kobe beef, as we can taste the meat directly instead of heavy cooking or ingredients-adding.